Forbidden Cowboy (Rocky Ridge Creek #1)

Chapter Fourteen

HOPE

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“THERE’S ANOTHER ONE!”

Levi runs and sweeps the net over a lightning bug. He walks back to me in the slow sexy way the man walks without even knowing how darn hot he is. We carefully shake it to the mason jar of lightning bugs we’ve already caught.

“There are definitely not as many lightning bugs as when we were youngins.”

After we spent both evenings lying by the campfire, entwined in each other’s arms, and watching the light-show of blue-white lights under the oak trees, we decided to catch some like the good ol’ days.

Today was perfect.

The entire weekend has been perfect.

We’ve had no worries of family members stumbling upon us. No sneaking back to our side of the fence afterward. No stopping on opposite sides of the road and knowing meeting in the center would cause uproar.

Levi wraps his arms around me. “It’s our last night.”

“I wish it wasn’t.”

“Then let’s make the most of it.” He nuzzles my neck with a barrage of soft kisses. He draws me close. Our thighs brush. My breasts press against his torso. “Move in with me.”

“In your ranch hand cabin?”

“I don’t care where. The cabin. Your lodge. The Quilt House B&B until we buy our own place.”

“You would stay at the Quilt House? With the twins? Stealing patches off our outfits and dipping our hands in paint to finish quilting our love blanket the entire time?”

“For you, I’d live there a lifetime.”

I shake my head with a laugh. “I wouldn’t survive a lifetime.”

He captures my mouth with a kiss, bringing a rush of emotions. “Should we call it a night?”

I nod, knowing our evening is only beginning.

Rivers of desire flood me as he leads me to our cabin. He guides me to the bedroom. The room is lit with mason jars filled with lightning bugs.

“This is beautiful. When did you sneak these in?”

“I have my ways.” His warm palms take my face in a way that makes my knees weak and my heart sing a country tune.

“I could get used to these sweet surprises.”

“In case you didn’t hear, I am quite the romantic.” His lips are soft and firm on mine. Sweet and hot. “Wait here.”

He leaves me, legs trembling, in the middle of the bedroom. Music floats from the old-school radio on the dresser. Levi sweeps me into his arms and begins slow dancing.

“I had other thoughts in mind.” I rest my head against his chest. I can feel his arousal pressed against me as we sway.

“Darlin’, we’re getting there. Don’t you worry.”

“I’m not worried.” I love being in his strong protective arms, swaying to the music in perfect sync. “I’m worried about going home.” I tried to leave the issues back home from spoiling our weekend. I hadn’t planned on brining them up now, but they’re lingering in the back of my head. Always there. Always threatening to destroy me and Levi.

His finger hooks my chin and lifts my gaze to meet his. “We’ll talk, I promise. We will devise one helluva plan that our families won’t be able to resist.”

My lips curve upward. “Will we now?”

“It’s going to blow them away.”

“If it’s anything like this romantic side of you, I’m sure it will.”

“Then we can get married.” He kisses the tip of my nose. “Build our dream home.” A kiss lands on my cheek. “Start a family. I envision six youngins running about.”

“Six?” I lean back. “Whoa cowboy, hold up.”

He’s wearing that adorable cocky smirk. “I’m not fussy. Five’s fine.”

“Three. Tops.”

“As many as you want.” His mouth covers mine in a ravenous kiss that has me clinging to the front of his shirt.

The shag carpet tickles my feet. The back of my legs bump the edge of the bed. In a single swoop, he pulls my dress over my head. I sink into the quilted comforter.

He stops above me, openly drinking me in. “You’re so damn beautiful, Hope.” He positions himself above me and leans down, forcing me to lie on my back. His warm lips kiss the edge of my jaw. He dips to my neck leaving a sensual path over my skin.

I reach for his pants and he stops me. “Not yet darlin’. Let me cherish you first.” He lifts his head to face to me. His eyes are glossy and sultry. “You’re exquisite.” He runs his tongue across my bottom lip.

“You’re exquisite,” my breathless words put that half-smile on his face. I suck in my lower lip to taste him.

He growls deep in his chest. “And you’re sexy as hell.” His head lowers to the tender skin behind my ears. “I’ve dreamt of being this close to you every damn night.” His hand caresses my thigh. He rains kisses down my neck until he finds the lace netting on the swell of my breasts.

My fingers dig into the quilt at my side to keep from reaching for his pants again. His hands slide up my back and he unclips my bra. I gasp when he flicks my nipples with his hot wet tongue.

“That’s my girl. Tell me what you like.” His large hands cup my breasts.

“I like it all.” My breath staggers.

His low chuckle drives my body wild with desire.

He suckles my breasts and swirls the nubs with his tongue. I can’t suppress my needy moan. I arch my body and lift my hips against him. He continues sucking, licking, and biting. Moving lower, he kisses and nips the skin across my belly. All the while, his hands run up and down my quivering legs.

He brushes his hand between my legs over my panties. “You’re so wet.” He hooks his fingers over my panties and slowly slides them off. My body is shaking with need. I’m grateful when his lips meet mine. At the same moment, his fingers dip inside of me finding the spot that drives another long moan out of me.

“That’s it, darlin’.” He moves his fingers in and out, teasing and probing.

I need more than this. “I need you inside me.”

He doesn’t argue this time. He yanks his shirt off and I fumble undoing his pants. He sheds his clothes, pins me to the bed and buries himself deep inside me. My hips rock back and forth in a rhythm of love. Our bodies join and the rest of the world fades away.

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LEVI

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LATER THAT EVENING, peace claims me. Hope lies on my chest with her head in the crook of my shoulder. I feel the rise and fall of her breathing. Her heart beating with mine.

I don’t want to ruin the moment. I don’t want to discuss a plan, or talk about our folks or the town. But I’ve seen the weight Hope carries with our unresolved issues. Plus, the conversation with my father has been nagging me.

I run my fingers along her silky bare shoulder. “I think there’s something deeper going on between our folks.”

I feel her still beneath me. “What do you mean? Deeper than the feud?”

“My pa came to see me off and he didn’t seem angry that we were going away together. He seemed almost sad.”

She tilts her head to face me. “Sad? Why would he be sad?”

“I don’t know.” I slip a piece of her strewn hair behind her ear. “It’s been playing in my head all weekend and the only conclusion is they’re not telling us something.”

Hope shakes her head. “We would know. The town would know.”

“Would they?”

“The town knows everything.”

“I have a gut feeling they don’t.”

She sits up and rests her elbow on my chest. “We should get them together and flat out ask.”

“That seems like a disaster in the making.”

“We can enlist the help of the twins.”

A laugh bursts out of me. “No. Involving them is asking for trouble.”

She taps her fingers on my skin. “The quilt queens can arrange for our parents to meet at Bucky and Kiwi’s bar for supper. If they set up a table in the hole, your parents can eat on one side and mine on the other side.”

“Bucky and Kiwi will never go for that.”

“If Wilma and Faye are calling the shots, what choice do they have? Those women don’t take no for an answer.” She pokes my chest. “You said we were devising one helluva a plan and I’ll tell you now, any plan with Wilma and Faye is a helluva plan.”

He doesn’t look as convinced.

“This is all we have left.”

“Then I guess we better make it one helluva meal.”